About that North Korean H-bomb
by Jim Stone
It is a really small H-bomb. I am going with my own independent estimate of 150 Kilotons. That would be a really big fission only bomb. And I think I might know why Kim Jong went for the small H-bomb
H-bombs are implosion bombs, which are difficult to make. But they have an advantage - when they are designed extremely well they do not need as much fissionable nuclear material as a standard gun type atomic bomb.
Here is why: All atoms have have electrons circling them in distinct rotational paths called valence shells. These "shells" increase in size as the atomic weight goes up, and are in layers, (not all electrons are on the same layer). These shells determine the actual size of an atom, the electrons and the nucleus are puny by comparison. But the rapid orbits of the electrons in the valence shells have enough force to give the atom a specific size, regardless of how much pressure is on them (up to a certain threshold). The valence shells keep the nuclei separated from nuclei in other atoms in a very predictable way. This means that even if you squeeze a fissionable material quite hard, the nuclear reaction characteristics remain the same, and you can predict how a nuclear material will behave because the distances between the radioactive nuclei remain the same.
HERE IS THE KICKER:
If you can crush a radioactive material enough, the electron valence shells get compressed enough to bring the radioactive nuclei closer together, which lowers critical mass and allows a nuke to function with less material. Kim Jong therefore has obviously gone with implosion nukes, where an explosive charge is so precisely detonated that it applies even pressure to the nuclear material at the core of the bomb to a level that is sufficient to lower the critical mass. That way, Kim Jong can make more nukes with less material. To make up for having less material, he is spiking the core with tritium and has a device that is precise enough to get temperatures high enough to cause the tritium to fuse. That makes it a hydrogen bomb, even if technically all he has is a boosted nuke. Same concept, both use fusion to get more boom and both go boom really good.
It is sort of a double edged sword - doing this proves he might have very little nuclear material, and has to get the best boom for his buck. So on one edge, it may reveal a weakness. But it also means Kim Jong has accomplished a major technological work, and it proves North Korea is not a stupid common core country. I'd challenge the common core crowd from America to re-invent the hydrogen bomb. FAT CHANCE. This also proves Kim Jong can sink the U.S. Navy, and when that only takes a few decent nukes, even a limited amount of nuclear material can produce quite a deterrent.
And yes, I know, despite the fact that Kim Jong "is a god," other people handled this, he most likely never picked up a calculator and could not have done this without the help of mere mortals.
by Jim Stone
It is a really small H-bomb. I am going with my own independent estimate of 150 Kilotons. That would be a really big fission only bomb. And I think I might know why Kim Jong went for the small H-bomb
H-bombs are implosion bombs, which are difficult to make. But they have an advantage - when they are designed extremely well they do not need as much fissionable nuclear material as a standard gun type atomic bomb.
Here is why: All atoms have have electrons circling them in distinct rotational paths called valence shells. These "shells" increase in size as the atomic weight goes up, and are in layers, (not all electrons are on the same layer). These shells determine the actual size of an atom, the electrons and the nucleus are puny by comparison. But the rapid orbits of the electrons in the valence shells have enough force to give the atom a specific size, regardless of how much pressure is on them (up to a certain threshold). The valence shells keep the nuclei separated from nuclei in other atoms in a very predictable way. This means that even if you squeeze a fissionable material quite hard, the nuclear reaction characteristics remain the same, and you can predict how a nuclear material will behave because the distances between the radioactive nuclei remain the same.
HERE IS THE KICKER:
If you can crush a radioactive material enough, the electron valence shells get compressed enough to bring the radioactive nuclei closer together, which lowers critical mass and allows a nuke to function with less material. Kim Jong therefore has obviously gone with implosion nukes, where an explosive charge is so precisely detonated that it applies even pressure to the nuclear material at the core of the bomb to a level that is sufficient to lower the critical mass. That way, Kim Jong can make more nukes with less material. To make up for having less material, he is spiking the core with tritium and has a device that is precise enough to get temperatures high enough to cause the tritium to fuse. That makes it a hydrogen bomb, even if technically all he has is a boosted nuke. Same concept, both use fusion to get more boom and both go boom really good.
It is sort of a double edged sword - doing this proves he might have very little nuclear material, and has to get the best boom for his buck. So on one edge, it may reveal a weakness. But it also means Kim Jong has accomplished a major technological work, and it proves North Korea is not a stupid common core country. I'd challenge the common core crowd from America to re-invent the hydrogen bomb. FAT CHANCE. This also proves Kim Jong can sink the U.S. Navy, and when that only takes a few decent nukes, even a limited amount of nuclear material can produce quite a deterrent.
And yes, I know, despite the fact that Kim Jong "is a god," other people handled this, he most likely never picked up a calculator and could not have done this without the help of mere mortals.